


Do-Over

by juliabsquared



Category: Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: Adorkable, Communication, Date Night, Daydreaming, Developing Relationship, Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, F/M, First Time, Loss of Virginity, Masturbation, Masturbation in Shower, Romance, Romantic love, Sex Education, Virginity as a social construct, healthy relationship, sex advice
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-01-30 11:40:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21427627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juliabsquared/pseuds/juliabsquared
Summary: Eros didn’t waste any time getting to the point. “Have you guys… you know?”A deep blush spread across Persephone’s face. “No… but probably soon. Hopefully, anyway.” She ran her fingers through her short pink hair, just a little flustered. “I really want to, and I think he does too, but right now neither of us have explicitly mentioned it.”Persephone wants to take her relationship with Hades to the next step, but first she's got to learn to ask for what she wants.
Relationships: Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus)
Comments: 64
Kudos: 319





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> This fic has been in the works for a while now, but what started as a simple NSFW prompt about Persephone and Hades’ first time together somehow evolved into Sex Ed 101 with Eros. Also, it’s meant to be a one-shot but I got too impatient so I’m posting it in little chapters.
> 
> This fic is pretty personal to me because a lot of Persephone’s thoughts and feelings I drew from my own experiences (trying to process my emotions, or whatever), so please be nice. Thank you so much to Spooks_On_Parade for being my beta reader :)
> 
> Also, somewhere along the line I adopted the head canon that Eros calls Persephone “babygirl,” like Derek Morgan calls Garcia on Criminal Minds. So there’s that. Enjoy.

“Persephone. It’s movie night.” Eros glared at her over his bowl of popcorn. “You’re not doing homework on movie night.” 

“I’m not!” Persephone was curled up on the opposite end of the couch from him, surrounded by binders and textbooks. She held up a single spiral-bound notebook. “I just have to review my notes from today. Besides,” she continued, “I thought maybe we could just hang out. We’ve both been so busy, it’s been forever since you and I actually _ talked_.”

Eros agreed. For the next half hour, they chatted idly over the low volume of the movie, filling each other in on everything that had been going on over the last few weeks. Persephone had aced all of her midterms and felt confident about her presentation next week for her internship. Eros thought maybe he had some idea on how to find Psyche, after overhearing his mother talking to her nymph assistant. It wasn’t long before the conversation turned back onto Persephone.

“So…?” Eros wiggled his eyebrows, probing for some juicy details. He excelled at digging into the love lives of other people, maybe Persephone’s most of all.

Persephone found it funny to feign ignorance in these situations, as it drove Eros nuts to see everyone else wasn’t as obsessed with other people’s relationships the way he was. “So what?” She shrugged.

Eros moved down to the other end of the couch to playfully smack her on the arm. “So, how’s Hades?” 

“He’s good.” Persephone tried to remain casual, but her ruse didn’t last long. To her, it seemed like everyone in Olympus was constantly trying to prove how cool and detached they were. It was exhausting. Persephone had no desire to dial down her feelings, especially where Hades was concerned. She slid off the couch and sprawled out on the floor. “Okay, fine. He’s not good, he’s _ great_,” she gushed. “Spectacular. Only the love of my life.”

Eros didn’t waste any time getting to the point. “Have you guys… you know?”

A deep blush spread across Persephone’s face. “No… but probably soon. Hopefully, anyway.” She ran her fingers through her short pink hair, just a little flustered. “I really want to, and I think he does too, but right now neither of us have explicitly mentioned it.”

Eros gasped loudly. “Yes! I knew it! _ This _ is what I live for.” He jumped up off the couch and started pacing around the room. “First things first. Are you on birth control?”

“_ Yes_,” Persephone replied, sitting cross-legged on the floor. “But this isn’t about birth control, I just wanted to talk to you, and like… ask you some stuff?”

“Say no more, babygirl.” Eros snapped his fingers and a whiteboard materialized behind him. Sitting on its ledge was a yardstick, which he grabbed and used to point at the diagrams on the board. “Now then. There are five basic sexual positions–”

Persephone rolled her eyes. “Calm down, it's the first time. I just want to try it regular.”

“Regular?” Eros was confused.

“Yeah.”

“What do you mean, ‘regular’? There isn’t a position called ‘regular.’”

Persephone shrugged. “Just like… having sex where we’re both lying down. You know, regular.”

“Do you mean… _ missionary_?”

“Whatever it’s called.” She waved dismissively. “Which one is downward facing dog?”

“That…” Eros pinched the bridge of his nose, exasperated. “That is a yoga pose. You know what, I think we need to start more basic than this.” He started erasing the diagrams on the whiteboard. Within a moment he had conjured a projector and was beginning what appeared to be a series of slides. “The most sensitive part of the penis is the–” 

She chucked her notebook at him. “Eros! I’ve seen his dick before, I don’t need this part explained to me.”

Eros threw down the yardstick, upsetting the half-empty bowl of popcorn. “_ What_?! You never told me that!”

“You never asked! And after this conversation, I have to say I’m kind of glad. But yes. We have… fooled around. That’s all I’m going to say.” A blush crept across her face. There were certain things about Hades she would never tell Eros, not because she was embarrassed but because those details were hers alone. Like that sound he made when she took him in her mouth for the first time, or the way he touched her, curling his fingers _just_ _so_ until he stroked the wonderfully sensitive spot inside her.

“Look,” she said. “Believe it or not, I _ do _ understand the logistics of having sex. I don’t need a whole educational lecture here. I just want to talk to you as a friend. I know it sounds _ shocking_, but there aren’t a lot of people I can talk to about this stuff.” The word _ shocking _ was laced with sarcasm. 

Eros looked crestfallen. “But… I have a PowerPoint. It has a whole six slides just about the female orgasm!”

“I don’t need this right now,” she insisted.

He abandoned his slides and sat down on the rug across from Persephone. “Are you worried it’ll hurt?” he asked. “Because it shouldn’t.”

“No.”

“Are you worried it won’t be good?”

“What? No!” Persephone crossed her arms and pouted, not wanting to discuss further, but knowing she needed someone to talk to about her concerns.

“Are you worried it’ll be _ too _ good and one of you screams so loud the neighbors call the cops?” asked Eros. “Because that’s happened.”

“No!” she snapped. “Would you just let me finish!”

He winked. “You know he’s gonna let you finish.”

“Shut up! That’s not what I mean. I just feel like…” _ How to explain this and not sound like a naive village girl? _ “Everything I’ve ever heard, and all the books I’ve read, make it sound like your first time, or losing your virginity or whatever, is supposed to be this amazing, magical experience that sets the bar for every other sexual encounter ever. And obviously mine was the complete opposite of that. So now I’m mad, because the opportunity for all that romantic first-time stuff was taken from me.”

“So take it back,” said Eros.

“What?”

He nodded thoughtfully. “Your first time. You should get a do-over.”

“But it won’t be–”

He shrugged and waved off her protests. “Virginity is a social construct anyway.”

“But I thought you said you could tell!” she cried, indignant.

“Yeah, I mean _ technically _ I can tell if someone’s ever been… penetrated.” Eros made a face at the word. “But it doesn’t change anything about you, or your value, or how you feel about your partner. So if you want this to be your super-romantic first time, just tell him.”

“You don’t think I’m being a stupid village girl?” Persephone asked him quietly.

Eros frowned. “Of course not, babygirl. Why would I think that?”

“I don’t know. I just… He’s so much more experienced, what if he thinks I’m too hung up on this emotional stuff?” Persephone shrugged. Even after a year living in Olympus, she still wasn’t used to the flippant attitudes towards committed relationships everyone else seemed to adopt. Especially in college; it was nothing but hookup culture. She _ knew _ Hades wasn’t the same way, but somehow she was still nervous to reveal the depth and certainty of her feelings.

“I mean… if it’s experience you want, I know there’s plenty of gods who would love to show you the ropes.” Eros raised an eyebrow suggestively.

She shook her head. “No. That’s what makes this so confusing. I want _ him _ to be the person I get to explore this stuff with. I love Hades and I hate the idea of my first time being with someone else. That’s why I even brought it up,” Persephone reminded him.

Truthfully she never wanted to be with anyone other than him _ at all_, for the rest of her immortal life. But she couldn’t say that, even to Eros. The God of Love wouldn’t understand that a twenty-year-old fertility goddess was ready to settle down with one person, especially without… tasting the entire menu, so to speak. But the idea of experiencing sex and a relationship with anyone other than Hades, whether or not it was just for practice, left her feeling cold and empty. 

“I guess I just want to know that I’m not crazy for… wanting the thing that I want,” she said finally. 

Eros scooted closer, knelt in front of her and lifted her chin to meet his eyes. “Persephone.” His voice was firm now, serious. “Do not _ ever _ let anyone tell you that your wants and your desires aren’t valid. You are an adult and you have every right to go after what you want. If you want your first time or... Fates, even if you want _ every single _time for the rest of eternity to be with Hades, you’re allowed to want that.”

Persephone breathed a sigh of relief. Could he read her mind? She wasn’t sure if his godly powers told him what she was thinking, or if he was just the type of good friend who could read her face like a book. “Okay,” she replied, finally cracking a smile. “Got any more tips for me?”

“Honestly,” he said, “the key to great sex is communication. Let him know what you want, listen to each other, and you can’t go wrong.” He patted her on the arm to reassure her.


	2. Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone makes her intentions known.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I present to you Part 2. Not sure how many chapters there are gonna be but probably a couple more. I’ve never taken a stand-alone story and broke it up into chapters before so I’m really not sure. This chapter contains warm fuzzy feels and just a sprinkling of the sexytimes that are to come.

Persephone spent the next several days musing about the subject, more specifically how to bring it up to Hades. Was there a less awkward way to say, _ Hey, I know we’ve been dating for a month now and neither of us has explicitly brought up the idea of having sex, but I really wanna climb you like a big blue tree_?

On Thursday afternoon, she saw her opening. After she was finished with her internship for the day, Persephone took the elevator to the ninety-ninth floor to surprise Hades. Breezing past the reception desk, she saw that his assistant had already gone home. The King of the Underworld, however, was still busy at work. The door to his office was open.

“Hey.” Persephone knocked softly on the doorframe, startling him from whatever reports he was poring over. 

When he saw her, Hades’ face immediately lit up. “Hey, yourself.” She entered, and he stood up from his desk and stretched, then leaned down to give her a welcome kiss hello. The quarterly shade reports had claimed his attention for most of the day, and now the Goddess of Spring was a sight for sore eyes.

“Can we talk?” Persephone asked, resting her palms against his chest and gazing up at him with what she hoped was her most loving expression. She knew he still struggled with self-doubt on occasion, and wanted nothing more than to quash any negative feelings he might have.

“Of course. Is everything alright?” Immediately a furrow appeared between his brows as Hades racked his brain for every possible reason she might have to be upset.

“Yes! Definitely,” she said quickly, eager to soothe the worry that was so clearly painted on his face. She smiled nervously. “Maybe even better than alright.”

“Oh?” He raised an eyebrow. _ Where in the realms could this be going? _

“Look, I…don’t really know the normal, right way to say this so I’m just gonna say it.” Persephone took both of his hands in hers and squeezed gently. “I love all of the time we’ve spent together, and you’re amazing, and I… I trust you.” She took a deep breath. “So I think I want… to be… more.”

“More?”

“More… physically… _ intimate._” She let the words hang in the air for a moment before hastily adding, “But only if you want to!”

Hades just blinked in surprise. “So, just to be clear, you’re saying–”

“Iwanttohavesex!” she blurted out, not sure how else to string the phrase together. “With you. I want to be with you. You know, like that. I’ve kind of wanted to for a while now and I’m finally in a place where I feel comfortable actually discussing it.” There was a time when she might not have been able to have this conversation without staring at her feet in discomfort, but no longer. Persephone met his gaze, this man who she loved and trusted above all others. To her delight, he smiled at her words, no matter how awkwardly they were spoken.

“I’m glad you said something. I haven’t brought it up because I didn’t want you to feel like there was any pressure.” Hades had waited two millennia just for someone like her to _ be _ in his life; he could wait a lot longer if it meant she could be comfortable and happy.

Persephone blushed. “Well you’re not wrong. I haven’t exactly done this before. But I want to. With you.” She squeezed his hand again for reassurance.

Hades took that opportunity to lean forward and capture her mouth in a deep kiss. Persephone kissed him back for a minute, until she pulled away added, “I mean, not right _ now_!” She giggled at the absurdity. “I need to get back to Olympus, I have night class in an hour.” 

“Of course, sweetness. Just felt like the right time to give you a kiss.” He cupped her face in one hand and ran his thumb over her bottom lip. How was it possible that the most beautiful goddess in the three realms was here, in his office, telling him she wanted _ him_? “Maybe we could talk about this more tomorrow? Over dinner?”

“I would love that,” Persephone replied, but then quickly remembered something. “Oh, but it’s roommate night. I promised Artemis I’d be home for dinner with her.” She pouted. 

“Dessert, maybe?” Hades offered, that unmistakable twinkle in his eyes telling her how eager he was.

“It’s a date.” She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him, lingering perhaps a moment longer than was typical of a simple see-you-later kiss. When she pulled away they both noticed the tiny blue flowers scattered in her hair. “Text me later. Please.” Persephone smiled at him one more time over her shoulder as she walked out of his office.

Hades watched her leave, mesmerized by the sway of her hips as she walked, and wondered yet again how he came to be so damn lucky. Truthfully, Persephone was the best thing that ever happened to him, and at times he was terrified of fucking this up by moving too quickly for her. So he let her take the lead, especially when it came to this sort of… physical interaction.

Persephone had been through so much more than anyone should ever have to deal with. It still gutted him every time he thought about what that piece of shit had done to her. Hades would have been more than happy to rip that shitty little sun god limb from limb, but he didn’t. It was Persephone’s war to fight, and she had fought admirably. Her strength, poise, and confidence had carried her through that media circus of a trial so much more effectively than any revenge ever could. Apollo was found guilty on all counts. For the next few years at least, he would be locked away in a place where he’d never be able to lay a hand on a woman. 

And now, months later, here was Kore – ready at last to pursue a relationship. To Hades, these past few weeks had felt like a dream. Persephone was even more amazing than he’d previously imagined. So open and honest. So willing to actually communicate what she was feeling. Hades marveled at the tenacious little goddess, and her eagerness to just walk into his office and tell him point-blank that she was keen on taking him to bed with her.

There had been a time when Hades couldn’t even fathom the idea that Persephone might want him in the same way he wanted her. He was too old, too _ broken,_ for a goddess like her. But to Persephone, no one was ever truly broken. She had helped him repair the cracks that had built up over the years in his mind and in his soul, just as he had reminded her of her own strength when she faced Apollo.

Hades sat back down at his desk and tried to resume his review of the quarterly shade reports, but found he could no longer focus on anything but a certain tiny pink goddess. He recalled the last time she’d come over to his house for dinner… how happy he’d been just to spend the whole evening on the couch with her. How he thrilled inside every time they kissed, like he could just go on tasting her beautiful lips forever. How she had climbed into his lap and after a while took his hands and guided them under the hem of her dress, whispering in his ear that even though this was as far as she felt ready to go right now, she really wanted him to touch her, and would he be okay with that?

That memory sent a jolt of lust and hunger through him. Hades looked down at himself and realized he probably wouldn’t be getting any more work done tonight. He started collecting his things to head home. After all, it was never too early to start getting ready for tomorrow.

***

Persephone’s class that evening felt interminable, as night classes usually did. Whose idea was it to cram an entire week’s worth of instruction into a single two-hour block? And _ why _ had she opted to take Mortal Studies as her history and culture elective? Persephone had spent her whole life in the mortal realm. She could ace this class in her sleep.

Persephone pulled out her phone, hoping the professor wouldn’t notice. She started typing out a text to Eros, while still staring ahead at the projection screen at the front of the room.

** _Persephone: _ ** _ Is “dessert” code for anything? _

** _Eros: _ ** _ what do u mean _

** _Persephone: _ ** _ He said we should talk more tomorrow about it and I said I couldn’t do dinner because I have plans with Artemis. So he invited me over for dessert. _

** _Persephone:_ ** _ Does that mean sex? _

** _Eros_ ** **: **😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣

** _Persephone: _ ** _ Eros I need your help here!!! I don’t want to show up with an overnight bag and find out he just meant talking and literally eating dessert! _

** _Eros: _ ** _ babygirl. calm down. _

** _Eros:_ ** _ 1st of all, ain’t nothing wrong with being a little prepared _¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

** _Eros: _ ** _ 2nd, if I know hades at all, it’s both 😉😏 _

“Persephone!”

She was startled back to the classroom, where she'd just been called on. “Yes?” she squeaked. Several students were looking at her.

“I _ said,_” the professor repeated, “do you mind telling us how Heracleitus differed from many of the other pre-Socratic philosophers?” 

“He believed that everything in the universe is in constant flux,” Persephone replied. “As opposed to simply ‘being’ in a fixed state.”

“Good. Maybe next time try to pay attention instead of texting.” He gave her a stern look before turning back to his lecture.

“Sorry, Professor.” She slipped her phone back into her bag and tried to focus on the lecture about how man cannot step in the same river twice, or something.

But it was no use; every thought pulled her away from the classroom and back to Hades. To his arms, his touch, his bed. Now that she had finally voiced her desires, put her feelings out in the open, she was all-consumed with how badly she wanted him.

Her cheeks flamed at the thought, although if anyone noticed they didn’t make any indication of it. _ If anything, they probably just think you’re embarrassed because you got called out for texting in class,_ she told herself.

Persephone shifted uncomfortably in her seat, feeling a familiar heat blooming somewhere in her lower abdomen. _Stop that!_ _Stop that right now!_ She silently begged her body to cooperate but it refused. Need pulsed between her legs as the unbidden fantasies kept coming. The heat of his skin under her fingertips as she explored every part of him; his broad chest, muscled thighs, perfectly chiseled ass. Her mind drank in the sensation of her whole body wrapped around his; the deep, low moan from the back of his throat when he finally entered her–

“Persephone?” Her eyes snapped open at the sound of her name. The professor was looking at her again, although most of the students didn’t seem to be paying any attention.

“Y-yes?” she stammered, utterly mortified.

“Persephone, are you alright? You look a little flushed.” He frowned at her again, although this time more out of concern. “You know, I appreciate the enthusiasm to come to class no matter what, but if you’re ill, you really should be staying home.”

“No, I…” _ Need to get out of here,_ she finished silently. “I have to use the restroom,” she said, keeping her voice as polite and even as possible. “If you’ll excuse me.”

He gave a small nod, and Persephone glanced at the clock as she left the room. It was barely six-thirty. Quietly she slipped down the hall and into the restroom, locking the door firmly behind her. If she had any hope of making it through the next hour and a half, this _ situation _ needed to be dealt with. Immediately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone on Discord who provided feedback on this and talked me off the ledge when I contemplated just deleting the whole thing. <3


	3. Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone and Hades each have their own way of preparing for what is sure to be a very special night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's 12:44 am which means its still Valentines Day in CST, MST, and PST. Enjoy this little romance with a tiny bit of smut and LOTS O' FEELINGS.

Hades sat back on the couch and surveyed the house he had just finished cleaning. “Don’t even think about it,” he snapped, seeing Fudge and JP wander into the living room. “You’re not getting dog hair all over this couch.” Persephone was coming over later, and he wanted everything to be perfect.

He could have hired a cleaner; in fact, he could probably afford a whole full-time cleaning staff. But Hades valued his privacy and didn’t like the idea of strangers snooping around his home. Besides, he needed something to expend all the nervous energy he was feeling.

He had left the office early that day so he could pick a few things up on his way home. The gourmet bakery near Tower One was only open until 5 p.m., so he called ahead to ensure they would have the item he wanted ready for him when he arrived. Judging from the way the clerk sounded on the phone once he realized who the caller was, the entire staff was treating this transaction as if their lives depended on it. Hades hadn’t actually meant to threaten anybody, but sometimes being the most feared god in the Pantheon had its advantages.

Next, he had stopped at the liquor store, where he agonized for over twenty-five minutes about which drinks he should have on hand. His first instinct was champagne – elegant, romantic, definitely meant to mark an occasion worth celebrating. But would that be too much? Hades didn’t know if Persephone even liked champagne. _ Who doesn’t like champagne, though? _he thought. Maybe he should get her favorite wine? Or maybe alcohol should be off the table altogether; the last thing he wanted was to look like he was trying to get Persephone drunk. It was important that she feel comfortable.

Eventually Hades settled on a compromise – a fruity red wine that paired well with the dessert, along with sparkling mineral water. Thank fuck for a bubbly, elegant, _ non _-alcoholic beverage. As soon as he was home, Hades tucked the bottle in the fridge and started on the house cleaning.

Presently, he herded all the dogs downstairs and surveyed the kitchen and living room. He wasn’t sure how romantic to make everything. Should he light some candles, or just dim the lights a little? Or both? Or neither? Hades didn’t want to seem presumptuous; he had only invited her over to “talk,” after all. There was no reason to assume things would go any further than that, right? 

Was it bad if he _ really _ wanted it to, though?

Satisfied that the rest of his house looked as good as it was going to get, Hades headed off to the master suite to shower and change. He yanked off his tie and belt, hung them up in the spacious walk-in closet, then stripped off the rest of his clothes before padding from the closet into the bathroom. While he let the shower run to warm up, Hades regarded himself warily in the mirror.

Each time he thought about Persephone and how he couldn’t wait to see her tonight, his happiness would be quelled by yet another worry. Right now, it was his appearance. The King of the Underworld knew he wasn’t particularly bad-looking, but still. What if his large, muscular frame was too much for her tiny one, and he hurt her somehow? Or would she be freaked out by the bright blue scars that criss-crossed his chest and back?

He imagined her unbuttoning his shirt and recoiling in shock, unable to keep the fear and disgust from her face. _ Stop _ , he told himself. _ She’s not like that and you know it. _ His inner voice could be such a prick sometimes. Truthfully, the idea of Persephone undressing him in any context sent a twinge of excitement straight to his dick.

In the shower, he let the hot water stream down his body and focused on keeping the negativity at bay. It worked, although any self-doubts were quickly replaced by images of Persephone. Naked… in his bed… face flushed, hair tousled… _ Fuck _. He was half-hard already. He really shouldn’t be doing this right now. After their conversation from the day before, it somehow felt like a violation of her trust, like she was party to something she hadn’t actually consented to.

In the back of his mind, Hades heard the voice of his id whispering away those concerns. _ You’ve fantasized about her before, what makes this time any different? _

_ Because this time it might actually _ happen_, _Hades reasoned. He didn’t need this right now.

The id was relentless, though. _ Oh, come on. For all you know, she does the exact same thing. _

That finally did it. The thought of Persephone, lying awake at night, fantasizing about _ him _ to bring herself pleasure, sent the ichor rushing down to his already-aching member. A groan escaped his lips as he began stroking, allowing himself to imagine Persephone here, enjoying the steaming hot shower with him. He wanted to press her up against the wall and fuck her senseless, hear those sexy sounds she made as he drove her to climax, feel her tight little body spasming around him. Gods, he loved making her come. His mind wandered to the first time he’d done that, felt her tremble under his touch as she fell apart, muscles grasping at his fingers. How those same walls might feel clenching around his throbbing cock–

With a muffled shout, he came, each spurt of his release mingling with the hot water as it washed down the drain. He huffed a sigh and ran a trembling hand through his wet hair. _ Let’s hope you can last longer than that. _

***

“I’m home!” Persephone called out, swinging the door to the apartment open and hanging up her keys on their designated hook while she dropped the heavy backpack from her shoulders. She peered into the living room, seeing no sign of Artemis.

“Hey!” said a voice from the floor. The purple goddess was seated in front of the couch, doing some sort of Pilates exercise. “How was studying?”

“It was good, actually.” Months after the incident with Alex the photographer, her classmates’ cold attitudes towards her had finally thawed. Some of them even went out of their way to be kind to her during Apollo’s trial and the media frenzy that surrounded it. “We’ve got a pretty good idea for what to focus on for this group project coming up.”

“Well that’s good, at least. I hope you’re in the mood for takeout, I ordered Chinese for dinner. Oh, and Eros stopped by, he left a package for you.” She nodded towards the table next to the door where their mail tended to accumulate. 

Persephone examined the pile of envelopes. _ Electric bill. Coupon for shampoo. WiFi and cable bill. Grocery store ad. Bill. Bill. Bill. _ The only interesting parcel was the one from Eros, a brown paper bag that was taped shut, with her name scrawled one the outside. Persephone grabbed it and went to her room to change clothes. As soon as the door was shut, she ripped off the paper to reveal a small bottle of what appeared to be lotion. _ Water-Based Personal Lubricant and Warming Gel_, the label read. 

Sweet Gaia. Persephone pulled out her phone and hit the speed dial. Eros picked up on the first ring.

“Why?” she asked him in lieu of a proper greeting. 

“Babygirl!” he crowed. “Hello to you too.”

“Please tell me you left this at my house by accident.” She examined the bottle and its label apprehensively.

“Well, you told me you were on birth control. Sometimes, the decrease in estrogen makes you–”

She cut him off. “Please stop talking about estrogen.”

He was indignant. “_ Excuse _me for wanting my friend’s first time to be mind-blowingly good!” he huffed, defensive.

“Okay, fine.” Persephone did feel a little bad. Eros was only trying to help, in his own way. “You’re right, I’m sorry for snapping at you.”

“As I was _ saying_, sometimes these things require a little, um… how should I put this delicately? ‘Outside assistance,’” he explained. “Fun fact, a lot of ladies don’t know that.”

“Thank you, for that… _ pertinent _ information,” Persephone replied. Leaving the bottle on the dresser, she surveyed the contents of her closet, trying to choose the perfect outfit that would be cute yet casual.

Eros sighed. “Look, I’m sorry if I’ve been too up front about this. But I care about you as a friend, and I care about sex because, well. It’s kind of my job. So I just want this to be amazing for you. Which for me, means giving you tons of unsolicited advice.”

“Okay, I appreciate that.” He had a point about this being his job. And it wasn’t as if Demeter had given her any sort of sex education beyond “just be a virgin forever.” Persephone continued, “But how about some solicited advice?”

“What’s this now?” Eros perked up immediately.

“What do I bring with me?” she hissed, her voice turning low and urgent. “I still haven’t solved the whole overnight bag dilemma!”

“Okay, relax. Do you still have that tote bag from Pandora’s?” 

“Yes.” Pandora’s Box was a popular brand of lingerie, known for their decadent satin underthings just as much as for their provocative displays of semi-nude models. Persephone had heard somewhere that Aphrodite was a spokesgoddess for them at one time, although that may have just been a rumor. On their last trip to the West Olympian Mall, Eros had encouraged her to splurge a little, which is how she ended up with several new lace bras with matching panties, some silky pajamas, and a free tote bag. She had proudly carried the signature pink shopping bag on her arm, thinking, _ Look out, world! That’s right, the Goddess of Spring buys sexy underwear. _

“Great, use that. It’s big enough to carry the essentials, but small enough that it doesn’t look like an overnight thing. You can say it’s just a purse.”

“Eros, you’re a genius.” Not wanting to put the call on speaker for Artemis to hear, she cradled the phone between her shoulder and ear as she rummaged through her closet looking for the bag. “Oh, and there’s one more thing I wanted to ask.”

“Yes, babygirl?”

“Can you cover for me if Artemis asks where I am?” It wasn’t that Persephone didn’t trust Artemis, or that she was ashamed of her new relationship. But the events of the last several months has tested her friendship with the violet goddess. And although the two roommates were back on good terms, Artemis could hardly hide her distaste for Persephone’s new boyfriend. The Goddess of the Hunt was starting to come around, slowly, and in the past few weeks had made a concerted effort to at least be nice to Hades. But the whole concept of spending the night with him would surely spark an intense discussion that Persephone really did not want to have right now. “I’m just gonna tell her I’ll be staying at your place to help babysit the kiddos.”

“Sure thing. Just don’t go making any of your own. At least, not tonight.” She could hear the smirk in his voice.

Persephone rolled her eyes, although she was laughing to herself. “_ Goodbye _, Eros,” she told him before ending the call and stepping out of her bedroom.

“Who was that?” Artemis asked. She was already seated on the couch, takeout box and chopsticks in hand.

“Just Eros,” Persephone called from the kitchen, where she was fixing herself a plate of vegetable lo mein. 

“Oh. You going over to his place later?”

Having gotten her food, she joined her friend in the living room. “Yeah,” Persephone replied, focusing on keeping her tone even and nonchalant. She hated lying. “He’s got babysitting duties so I promised I’d help him out with the little monsters.”

“Does Aphrodite seriously still have him keeping house for her?” Artemis rolled her eyes. “I swear, I’ve never met a bigger mama’s boy in my life.”

***

Persephone had texted that she would be over at 9:30, however at 9:25 the sound of the doorbell set off a chorus of dogs barking. 

“Yeah, yeah, calm down,” Hades muttered, not entirely sure if he was talking to the dogs or himself. He made his way to the door, pausing briefly to check in the hallway mirror that his hair was perfectly tousled, messy but not too messy. He took a deep breath and answered the door. 

“Hades!” Persephone broke into a wide smile as soon as she laid eyes on her boyfriend. How exactly did he manage to get sexier _ every _ time she saw him?

He welcomed her inside with a kiss and began leading her by the hand to the living room, which was lit with warm, low overhead lights and a few candles. She’d chosen to wear a simple white blouse and fitted black jeans, but his house seemed chillier than usual. Persephone shivered, and before she could ask Hades pulled a cashmere wool throw blanket off the back of the couch, and wrapped it around her shoulders.

Dessert was a chocolate raspberry torte, the tart fruit and sweet cream sandwiched between decadent layers of cake, which they ate in comfortable, companionable silence. It was delicious. When Hades asked Persephone whether she wanted wine or sparkling water and she replied both, he breathed a sigh of relief that he’d made the right call on which drinks to get.

“Mmmm, so good.” Persephone’s eyes fluttered closed, a small smile on her lips as she tasted the delicacy he’d served. Her bare feet were propped up in his lap, and he rubbed them occasionally so they wouldn’t be cold.

Hades blushed, his face heating up to a striking violet shade as he thought of the myriad ways he wanted to elicit those words from her. Was it his imagination, or was it almost obscene the way she sucked the last few smudges of chocolate from the spoon? _ Little minx_, he thought. _ You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? _Hades cleared his throat. “Persephone.”

“Hmm?” She let the spoon drop back into her plate, having been licked clean, then set the plate on the coffee table and looked back at him with wide, expectant eyes.

“I… I need to tell you something,” Hades began. He took another sip of wine before setting the half-empty glass on the coffee table. “And I… whatever happens tonight, it’s important to me that you know – that I don’t want you to feel pressured into anything, and–”

She cut him off, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him towards her into a kiss. She wasn’t entirely sure why, but felt at that moment it was what she needed to do, to connect with him. To reassure him.

Hades wrapped his arms around Persephone and cradled her, finding that far from distracting him, the delicate pressure of her lips on his gave him the focus he needed to tell her what was on his mind. “I love you,” he murmured. “That’s all I needed to say. I _ never _ want to do anything you’re not comfortable with, ever. So if I haven’t… if I didn’t really initiate anything, it’s not because I didn’t want to. I’m in love with you and I want you. On your own time and at your own pace, but _ gods _ I want you, Persephone.” He was rambling, he knew, but Persephone didn’t seem to mind. She gazed at him intently, her eyes practically sparkling with happiness.

“I love you too, Hades. And I think… I want you to take the lead here, tonight. It’s my first time. Well, first _ real _ time, anyway,” she corrected herself. It felt natural to be so candid with him. All her life, Persephone had felt the need to suppress her emotions around other people. She was wary of expressing disagreement with Mama; she tried very carefully to control her excitement around people in Olympus. But tonight, none of that mattered. With Hades, Persephone was home. Her passion knew no such restrictions. “Make love to me,” she said. “I want you to be my first. Only you.”

“Little goddess… I will do anything you wish,” Hades whispered, pressing his forehead against hers. “I’m yours.” He grazed a tender kiss to the top of her head. “Body and soul, I am _ yours _.”

At this, Persephone kissed him in earnest, catching her mouth against his with greater urgency than before. She wasted no time exploring him, gently nipping at his bottom lip and pressing her fingertips to his chest. Desire pooled in the pit of her stomach and she softened against him, delighted that she could embrace this sensation. 

Hades relished her happy sigh, ears attuned to every soft breath she took. Gently he slid his fingertips underneath the waistband of her jeans, caressing the smooth skin of her hips and backside the way he knew she liked.

Persephone couldn’t help but think about how many other women he’d already been with, all older and more experienced than her. Jealousy curled around her stomach like a thorny vine. He loved her, but she still worried she wouldn’t measure up physically. Persephone wished she’d bought some lingerie, maybe something see-through and lacy. She was way behind on laundry, so none of her cute panties were available. Which really only left one option.

“Fucking hell, Kore, are you wearing any underwear?” 

She smiled against his open mouth. “No.” Without missing a beat, Persephone began to unfasten the buttons of his shirt. Her nimble fingers worked quickly, twisting and pulling each button free until the white cotton fell open to reveal his sculpted chest, pale blue scars flashed over him like lightning bolts. She gave an involuntary gasp, and immediately felt him tense up beneath her.

“S-sorry,” he stammered, unable to meet her gaze. “I can leave this on, I d-didn’t mean to upset you.”

“Upset you?” Persephone didn’t understand. “I think–” She stopped suddenly, not wanting to acknowledge the thought that flashed through her mind._ I can’t tell him that, right to his face! _

“What is it?” Worry knitted his features.

“Nothing!” She felt guilty for even thinking about it but couldn’t deny the attraction blooming inside her, taking her arousal to new heights.

“Please. Tell me?”

“I just…” She felt shy all of a sudden, and buried her burning face in the crook of his neck. After a moment’s pause to gather her composure, she nipped gently at his earlobe and whispered, “I think they make you look really sexy.”

“I…” Hades had to admit, of all her possible reactions he had not expected this one. 

“I hope that’s okay,” she said hurriedly. Her face flushed magenta and the forget-me-nots blooming in her hair gave way to violets. Their petals littered the couch, the floor, the coffee table.

“I guess I’m just… surprised,” he admitted. “No one’s ever said that before.” Not only was she not put off by his scars, she _ liked _ them? Hades didn’t think it was possible for him to be any more turned on.

“I don’t mean it to sound like everything you’ve been through doesn’t matter,” Persephone continued, feeling emboldened by the positive reaction she was getting. “You’ve dealt with things nobody should have to experience, ever, and I wish to the Fates that those painful memories never happened. But if you think that your scars make you less attractive, I assure you that is _ not _ the case.” With a wicked grin, she shifted to a more comfortable position in his lap, accidentally-on-purpose rutting her hips against the prominent bulge in his slacks, relishing the faint groan her movements elicited from him. She kissed him again, letting his tongue explore her briefly before pulling back. “Scars only tell us where we’ve been,” she said. “They don’t have to dictate where we’re going.” At his confused expression, Persephone added, “I read that in a fortune cookie.”

Hades fixed her with a smirk. “And where is it that you hope to be going, little goddess?” he asked.

Persephone didn’t answer immediately, only pressed her lips to his. The intensity of their kiss deepened, leaving her breathless until finally she pulled away, panting one single word. “Bedroom.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #NormalizeLubeForWomen2k20


End file.
